Ladder rack

ABSTRACT

Capable of handling 24 ft. or 28 ft. extension ladders on top of a telephone truck the present ladder rack is easily assembled and installed without special modification of the vehicle by attachment of a pair of bow supports secured to the vehicle rain gutter on each side. Longitudinal ladder support members are attached to the bow supports and a movable ladder rung finger catch arrangement is operated by a spring steel handle which latches in place to move and clamp the ladder tightly in place on the rack. Ladder abuttment feet have curved faces which are reversed from one another to assist in removing the ladder from the truck and from placing it thereon while standing alongside. To assist in positioning the ladder the spring steel handle is operated to push the ladder rearward against the fixed feet by means of the rung engagement fingers and then the handle is relatively shiftable to be spring biased into a notch, or without the ladder the fingers are retracted against the vehicle top spring tensioned by the handle.

States Patent 1 Barrineau et al.

154] LADDER RACK [75] Inventors: Wade H. Barrlneau; Anthony Osborne,both of Atlanta, Ga.

[73] Assignee: Southern Cross Industries, Inc., At-

lanta, Ga.

[22] Filed: Feb. 12, 1971 [21] Appl. N0.: 114,771

[52] US. Cl ..224/42.1 F [51] Int. Cl. ..B60m 9/00 [58] Field of Search..224/42.l R, 42.1 D, 42.1 E,

224/421 F, 42.1 G, 42.1 H, 29, 42.45;

FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS Germany ..248/361 1 Mar. 27, 1973Primary ExaminerGerald M. Forlenza Assistant l ixaminer-Jerold M.Forsberg Attorney-Patrick F. Henry [57] ABSTRACT Capable of handling 24ft. or 28 ft. extension ladders on top of a telephone truck the presentladder rack is easily assembled and installed without specialmodification of the vehicle by attachment of a pair of bow supportssecured to the vehicle rain gutter on each side. Longitudinal laddersupport members are attached to the bow supports and a movable ladderrung finger catch arrangement is operated by a spring steel handle whichlatches in place to move and clamp the ladder tightly in place on therack. Ladder abuttment feet have curved faces which are reversed fromone another to assist in removing the ladder from the truck and fromplacing it thereon while standing alongside. To assist in positioningthe ladder the spring steel handle is operated to push the ladderrearward against the fixed feet by means of the rung engagement fingersand then the handle is relatively shiftable to be spring biased into anotch, or without the ladder the fingers are retracted against thevehicle top spring tensioned by the handle.

13 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures PATENTEUHARZT 197a I/EA/TOK ARR/N540OSBORNE WADE [Z A /v THO/V7 LADDER RACK BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1.Field of the Invention Racks and supports and especially ladder racksand supports. Vehicle top carriers, racks and supports.

2. Description of the Prior Art The prior art includes numerous vehicleladder rack supports. Some are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,080,527;2,733,039; 2,746,628; 3,043,398 and 3,105,667. Many utility and servicecompanies use ladder racks and supports on the trucks and some of thesecomprise essentially transverse supports relative to the top of thetruck and screw operated or toggle operated or some other type ofmechanical operation for fastening the ladder in place. Such devices arerelatively more costly to build and install than the present device andconstitute permanent modifications of the truck which can only be doneat a special repair facility. Furthermore, the assembly of those devicesis more involved and must be performed by specialized personnel. Theplacement of the ladder on the top of the truck is not easy in view ofthe weight of a 28 ft. wooden extension ladder moved by a small personand it is not so easy to get up on a truck to place brackets in positionand then tighten them or operate the mechanism to hold the ladder inplace. Some of the prior art devices are not durable and rust readilybecause of the type of construction necessary from the way it is builtand the clamping mechanisms will work loose and must be repaired orreplaced.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION By utilizing pre-assembly parts plus permanentbut removable installation with nuts and bolts andsimilar fasteners itis possible to install the present transverse bow supports in the raingutters of practically any vehicle such as the telephone and otherutility van type trucks which are quite common. The attachment of thebow supports resembles the attachment of some car top carriers throughthe use of screw operated pressure brackets that tighten on the raingutters. In lieu of any extensive or weighty framework the presentdevice utilizes only a pair of longitudinal rod members bolted to thetransverse bow supports and one of the rod members is formed with anupstanding leg which prevents the disengagement of the ladder from theladder support sidewise after installation. Clamp members like fingersmove the ladder into place on the rack by pushing upon operation of thehandle which spring biases into place when the ladder is clamped. Theclamp fingers are retracted by the handle and held in place fromrattling.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective assembly orexploded view of the present ladder rack.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the top of a van type truck with thepresent ladder rack installed thereon.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the ladder rung latching mechanismincluding the latching fingers and a portion of the handle.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The entire ladder rack of thepresent invention is referred to by reference numeral 10 and comprises apair of vehicle support members designated generally by referencenumeral 12 and 14 which are for transverse installation on a typicalside edge rain gutter 16 found on most vehicles such as the one 18 shownin FIG. 2. The vehicle support members are made from lightweight metalchannel having pre-punched therein a number of openings to receiveassembly and latching elements to be described hereinafter. Each vehiclesupport member 12, 14 has attached to one end thereof a rain guttersupport plate assembly 20 also made from lightweight metal channel andhaving a protruding plate 22 in which there is a threaded openingreceiving a threaded stud 24 attached to a bottom plate 26. As shown inFIG. 1, rain gutter support plate assemblies -20 are attached in placein the various openings 28 by fasteners 30 which may be screws or anyother type of fastening element into a rigid assembly which is attachedonto the rain gutter 16 in the manner shown in FIG. 2.

A pair of longitudinal ladder support members 34, 36 may be made frommetal tubing. Member 36 is bent at one end into an upstanding leg 38which is used to try to prevent unwanted sidewise displacement of theladder which is shown in places in whole or in part by dotted lines 40.Leg 38 also serves as a guide and stop to engage one end of the ladderduring placement or removal. The ladder 40 includes conventionaltransverse ladderrungs 42.

Vehicle support member 14 has welded or otherwise attached thereto apair of ladder abuttment feet 44, 46

respectively. Foot 44 has the bend 45 reversed in direction from thesame bend 45 in foot 46 in the manner shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 to assistin the sidewise installation and removal of the ladder by turning theladder rung 42 and sliding same up foot 46 at the straight side to allowthe ladder to swing outwardly or inwardly against leg 38 when held bythe workman standing on the ground alongside the vehicle 18.

The longitudinal ladder support members each have installation studs 50thereon for insertion in prepunched openings 51 in the respectivevehicle support members 12, 14 for installation securely and permanentlybut removably thereon.

For the purpose of discussion, the feet 44, 46 are considered to be atthe rear or the bottom of the bracket assembly 10 and for this reasonthis is referred to as the rearward direction or the bottom of theentire assembly wherever discussion refers to the ladder installationand removal. However, it is obvious that the entire assembly may beassembled in either direction and either end may be on one or the otherof the vehicle 18.

Near one end of the entire assembly 10 which for the sake of discussionis referred to as the front end there is a ladder latching arrangementwhich is designated generally by reference numeral 52 and comprises apair of ladder latching fingers 54 of identical construction made frombent metal plate in the general shape apparent from the figures of thedrawings, and connected by a cross-bar member 55. The ends of members 54may be coated with rubber or vinyl to cushion same and to providedurability. Likewise portions of the feet 44, 46 may be coated withrubber or plastic for the same reason and to make the installationtighter and to absorb shock better and reduce noise from rattling andthe like. Members 54 have inner ends formed from the metal bent into atubular shape 56 and are mounted permanently on a metal rod shaft 58 bymeans of lugs 60 attached to shaft 58 and extending through elongatedslots 62 in the tubular portions 56.

As seen in FIG. 1, shaft 58 is mounted in bushings 64 inserted inopenings in support plates 66 attached to the underside of therespective ladder support members 34, 36 and support plate 66 on member36 is part of a latching bracket assembly designated generally byreference numeral 70 and comprising an. elongated plate 72 with notchplates 74 at each end thereof hav ing notches 76 in which is positionedunder tension a spring steel handle member 80 which has one end 82 bentinwardly for loose attachment in an opening 84 in one end of shaft 58 asshown in the figures of the drawings, especially FIG. 3. Handle 80 has aplastic or rubber grip member 86 thereon. Thus, the handle 80 isoperated to turn shaft 58 in either direction and as seen readily inFIG. 2 when the handle is rotated in the same direction as the desiredmovement of the fingers 54 the fingers will engage the next adjacentladder rung 42 and push the ladder rearward against feet 44, 46 untilthe ladder rung 42 at that end engages the feet 44, 46 and cannot movefurther. Then the handle may be swung slightly because of the lostmotion in the slot 62 of the lug 60 and the handle pivoted slightly tobe brought into position just below the notch 76 and then bent slightlyto bias into place in the notch holding the handle 80 securely in placeand tightening on the tingers 54 against rung 42 thereby securing theladder 40 tightly in place under tension and with cushioned engagement.

When the ladder 40 has been removed from the truck 18, which asmentioned previously can be done by standing alongside the vehicle, thenreleasing the handle 80 from its position in the rearward notch 76 andthen swinging the handle around to bring the tingers 54 forward to thedotted line position shown in FIG. 3 whereat the handle 80 may then bemoved slightly to be brought into the other notch 76 and spring biasedtherein to hold the fingers 54 tightly in place and to prevent movementor rattling when the ladder is not in place. In doing this retraction ofthe fingers 54, the lugs 60 drive the fingers 54 simultaneously fromshaft 58 towards the top of the vehicle 18 until the fingers 54 strikethe top and lie thereagainst at which time there is lost motion in theslots 62 while the lugs 60 travel to the other end of slot 60 at whichpoint the handle is rearward (dotted lines in FIG. 2) and has been bentslightly into the notch 76 to spring bias the fingers 54 against theflanged edge of support 12 on the top of vehicle 18 thereby securing thefingers 54 from rattling and placing them for ready use when the ladderis installed. As the ladder is installed as previously mentioned thelugs 60 travel back to the end of slot 62 to again drive the fingers 54against the ladder rung 42.

SUMMARY OF OPERATION A ladder 40 is removed by unlatching the handle 80from notch 76 and rotating and swinging the handle 80 to where thefingers 54 are against the support 12.

Then the ladder may be grasped by hand, shifted while standing on theground about and against the feet 44, 46 and the end being held loweredto the ground. To replace the ladder 40 on top of vehicle 18, the ladder40 is lifted to place one end against feet 44,46 (substantiallyreversingthe procedure of removal) and then the other end is lowered on top ofsupport 12 with the tingers 54 inside the ladder 40, as seen in FIG. 2.This places the fingers 54 between ladder rungs and by swinging thehandle the fingers 54 are driven, as described previously in thedescription of the fingers 54, against the rung 42 and the ladder 40 ispushed firmly against the feet 44,46. The handle 80 is bent slightly inplace, being spring steel as described previously, and while bent andunder tension is placed in the notch 76 thereby maintaining pressure onthe ladder 40.

While I have shown and described a particular embodiment of thisinvention together with a suggested use thereof this is by way ofillustration only since there are various alterations, deviations,combinations, additions, removals, integrations, combinations,additions, substitutions, and other departures which may be made in theembodiment shown and described without departing from the scope of myinvention as defined by a proper construction of the appended claims.

What is claimed:

1. In a ladder rack which may be removably installed on top ofa vehiclesuch as a van truck:

a. spaced, stationary supports for stationary mounting to support aladder thereon as for example for engagement on the rain gutter on theopposite sides of the vehicle,

a longitudinal frame attached to and extending across the stationarysupport means,

c. stop means on one support near one end of said longitudinal frame andengageable by one of the .ladder rungs when the ladder is pushedthereagainst, d. movable ladder drive and rung securing means mounted onthe longitudinal frame for motion relative to the longitudinal frame,and including a finger member for engaging a ladder rung,

e. and manually operated handle means for operating said finger memberagainst said ladder rung to drive said ladder against said stop means,and said handle being latched in place to secure said ladder.

. The device in claim 1:

f. spring means biasing said securing means in place against said ladderwhen in place and said spring means biasing said securing means out ofplace when said ladder is not installed. The device claimed in claim 2:g. said securing means being at least one finger member and beingmounted on a pivot means,

said means for operating including handle means connected to said fingermember. 4. The device in claim 3: there being lost motion between saidmeans for operating and said finger member to bring said finger memberflat against a surface such as the vehicle top. 5. The device in claim3: said pivot means being a shaft and said finger member being mountedthereon; said handle means being connected to said shaft.

6. The device in claim 5: said handle means being bendable springmaterial such as spring steel and being bendable in place to providespring tension.

7. The device in claim 1: said stationary support means being a pair ofspaced, transverse members having attachment means thereon forattachment to a vehicle rain gutter; said longitudinal frame means beinga pair of spaced members attached to said spaced transverse members.

8. The device in claim 1:

said ladder rung securing means being movable on said support means toengage a rung of the ladder in one position of ladder installation andthen when operated by said manually operated means, to drive said ladderin place; said securing means then being operable by said manuallyoperated means to secure said ladder in place by locking against a rung.

9. The device in claim 8: said securing means being a longitudinallymounted finger member pivotally connected to said longitudinal framesupport means.

10. The device in claim 9: said finger member being mounted on a pivotshaft and said manually operated means including a handle manuallyoperable for rotating said shaft to move said finger member.

11. The device in claim 10: said finger member being mounted on saidpivot shaft for limited movement thereon when retracted to storedposition whereby there is lost motion to permit said handle to be moved.

12. The device in claim 11: said handle member being made from a springmaterial such as spring steel and being bendable when said finger memberis in place against said ladder rung to spring bias same in place.

13. The device in claim 12: there being a first notch meanscorresponding to the latched position of said finger member against saidladder rung and said handle being bendable for a limited amount to bendand drop into said notch to spring bias said ladder in position; therebeing a second notch spaced from said first notch in the position ofretraction and storing of said finger member and said handle beingoperable to retract said finger member and to bend for a limited amountto drop into said notch to spring bias said finger member intoretracted, stored position.

1. In a ladder rack which may be removably installed on top of a vehiclesuch as a van truck: a. spaced, stationary supports for stationarymounting to support a ladder thereon as for example for engagement onthe rain gutter on the opposite sides of the vehicle, b. a longitudinalframe attached to and extending across the stationary support means, c.stop means on one support near one end of said longitudinal frame andengageable by one of the ladder rungs when the ladder is pushedthereagainst, d. movable ladder drive and rung securing means mounted onthe longitudinal frame for motion relative to the longitudinal frame,and including a finger member for engaging a ladder rung, e. andmanually operated handle means for operating said finger member againstsaid ladder rung to drive said ladder against said stop means, and saidhandle being latched in place to secure said ladder.
 2. The device inclaim 1: f. spring means biasing said securing means in place againstsaid ladder when in place and said spring means biasing said securingmeans out of place when said ladder is not installed.
 3. The deviceclaimed in claim 2: g. said securing means being at least one fingermember and being mounted on a pivot means, h. said means for operatingincluding handle means connected to said finger member.
 4. The device inclaim 3: there being lost motion between said means for operating andsaid finger member to bring said finger member flat against a surfacesuch as the vehicle top.
 5. The device in claim 3: said pivot meansbeing a shaft and said finger member being mounted thereon; said handlemeans being connected to said shaft.
 6. The device in claim 5: saidhandle means being bendable spring material such as spring steel andbeing bendable in place to provide spring tension.
 7. The device inclaim 1: said stationary support means being a pair of spaced,transverse members having attachment means thereon for attachment to avehicle rain gutter; said longitudinal frame means being a pair ofspaced members attached to said spaced transverse members.
 8. The devicein claim 1: said ladder rung securing means being movable on saidsupport means to engage a rung of the ladder in one position of ladderinstallation and then when operated by said manually operated means, todrive said ladder in place; said securing means then being operable bysaid manually operated means to secure said ladder in place by lockingagainst a rung.
 9. The device in claim 8: said securing means being alongitudinally mounted finger member pivotally connected to saidlongitudinal frame support means.
 10. The device in claim 9: said fingermember being mounted on a pivot shaft and said manually operated meansincluding a handle manually operable for rotating said shaft to movesaid finger member.
 11. The device in claim 10: said finger member beingmounted on said pivot shaft for limited movement thereon when retractedto stored position whereby there is lost motion to permit said handle tobe moved.
 12. The device in claim 11: said handle member being made froma spring material such as spring steel and being bendable when saidfinger member is in place against said ladder rung to spring bias samein place.
 13. The device in claim 12: there being a first notch meanscorresponding to the latched position of said finger member against saidladder rung and said handle being bendable for a limited amount to bendand drop iNto said notch to spring bias said ladder in position; therebeing a second notch spaced from said first notch in the position ofretraction and storing of said finger member and said handle beingoperable to retract said finger member and to bend for a limited amountto drop into said notch to spring bias said finger member intoretracted, stored position.